Olida
Content Warning: These stories are about violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation and may include references to suicide or self-harming behaviours. They may contain graphic descriptions and strong language and may be distressing. Some narratives may be about First Nations people who have passed away. If you need support, please see Contact & support.
Olida is an academic who has been researching the political participation of people with disability and electoral issues.
In a recent state election, Olida interviewed 43 people who identify as ‘disabled’ and who were not able to physically complete their own ballot papers. Twenty-one of those people told Olida that they did not vote according to their own wishes.
There were several broad reasons respondents gave for this.
Some voted whichever way their support person – or the person who was with them at the polling station – told them to. Sometimes this was because they believed the support person ‘knew’ what to do. Other times they were fearful of annoying the support person.
Another reason related to issues attending a polling booth, resulting in the person with disability allowing someone else to vote in their place.
In some cases people did not know they had to vote, and others did not have the capacity to vote but were still on the electoral roll.
Disclaimer: This is the story of a person who shared their personal experience with the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability through a submission or private session. The names in this story are pseudonyms. The person who shared this experience was not a witness and their account is not evidence. They did not take an oath or affirmation before providing the story. Nothing in this story constitutes a finding of the Royal Commission. Any views expressed are those of the person who shared their experience, not of the Royal Commission.